THE THEOSOPHIST

VOL. 134 NO. 5 FEBRUARY 2013

CONTENTS

On the Watch-Tower 3 Radha Burnier The Secret Doctrine: The Key to Further Knowledge 7 C. A. Shinde Krishnamurti and the Mahatma Letters 13 Pedro Oliveira Remarks on Adyar Day, 17 February 2012 19 Ravi Ravindra Krishnamurti: The Rhetorical-Literary Contribution 23 Daniel Ross Chandler Vale Adyar 29 Donna Margherita Ruspoli Books of Interest 35 Theosophical Work around the World 39 International Directory 40

Editor: Mrs Radha Burnier

NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to the Editorial Office. Cover: Entrance to the Museum at the Headquarters Building — J. Suresh

Official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this magazine.

1 THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Founded 17 November 1875 President: Mrs Radha Burnier Vice-President: Mr M. P. Singhal Secretary: Mrs Kusum Satapathy Treasurer: Mr T. S. Jambunathan Headquarters: ADYAR, CHENNAI (MADRAS) 600 020, INDIA Secretary: [email protected] Treasury: [email protected] Adyar Library and Research Centre: [email protected] Theosophical Publishing House: [email protected] & [email protected] Fax: (+91-44) 2490-1399 Editorial Office: [email protected] Website: http://www.ts-adyar.org The Theosophical Society is composed of students, belonging to any religion in the world or to none, who are united by their approval of the Society’s Objects, by their wish to remove religious antagonisms and to draw together men of goodwill, whatsoever their religious opinions, and by their desire to study religious truths and to share the results of their studies with others. Their bond of union is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. They hold that Truth should be sought by study, by reflection, by purity of life, by devotion to high ideals, and they regard Truth as a prize to be striven for, not as a dogma to be imposed by authority. They consider that belief should be the result of individual study or intuition, and not its antecedent, and should rest on knowledge, not on assertion. They extend tolerance to all, even to the intolerant, not as a privilege they bestow but as a duty they perform, and they seek to remove ignorance, not punish it. They see every religion as an expression of the Divine Wisdom and prefer its study to its condemnation, and its practice to proselytism. Peace is their watchword, as Truth is their aim. Theosophy is the body of truths which forms the basis of all religions, and which cannot be claimed as the exclusive possession of any. It offers a philosophy which renders life intelligible, and which demonstrates the justice and the love which guide its evolution. It puts death in its rightful place, as a recurring incident in an endless life, opening the gateway to a fuller and more radiant existence. It restores to the world the Science of the Spirit, teaching man to know the Spirit as himself and the mind and body as his servants. It illuminates the scriptures and doctrines of religions by unveiling their hidden meanings, and thus justifying them at the bar of intelligence, as they are ever justified in the eyes of intuition. Members of the Theosophical Society study these truths, and theosophists endeavour to live them. Everyone willing to study, to be tolerant, to aim high, and to work perseveringly, is welcomed as a member, and it rests with the member to become a true theosophist.

2 On the Watch-Tower On the Watch-Tower

RADHA BURNIER

True Religion Highlights Values most by the people whom they were Religious history shows that the em- addressing at that time. They were all phasis has differed from time to time, as initiates or enlightened persons. Then messengers of the Wisdom-teaching came quarrels or disputes arose among lesser among men to help to uplift human con- people about who was right or not right, sciousness. There were teachers like and which is to be followed or not to be ªankara who emphasized self-knowledge followed. It is a presumption, a highly or âtmabodha. There were teachers like egotistic presumption we can say, for Jesus, who stressed love and service and ordinary people like us to imagine that purity of mind which leads one to the we know best what should be thought and ‘Kingdom of Heaven’, which is within, what people need most. Of course the not somewhere else. There have been needs, spiritual as well as external, change teachers who have spoken about the mag- as the world undergoes changes. Today’s nificence and grandeur of the cosmos; need is not the need of the medieval world; there have been others like the Buddha the medieval world did not need what the who spoke of sorrow and the way out ancient world did. China did not need at a of it. The Prophet Mohammed spoke certain time exactly what was needed in about submission to the universal reality Greece. It is said that in the sixth century which he called Allah. Those who fol- BC there was a remarkable upsurge of lowed the mystic way, among whom spiritual teaching in several parts of the there are many, have stressed many other world. Very important messages were things; for example the Taoists spoke given, by Pythagoras, Confucius and briefly but very poignantly about their many others, but one was not less than relationship with nature. the other. They spoke differently from These different approaches, the em- each other; but as the Upanishad says, it phasis which was put at a particular time is the one truth which the enlightened ones on a particular thing or an aspect of the speak about in many ways. path, may be all of profound value and Partly for the reason that if there is valid aspects of the path. Of course the not a change of approach, if the whole great teachers and their advanced disciples question of human regeneration is not knew better than we can, what was needed pointed to from different angles, people’s

February 2013 3 The Theosophist minds being fixed and rigid, are more other one is erroneous and so on is an likely to convert what they have heard exercise in futility. into dogma and make it into a creed and If we take one of the important a belief. differences in emphasis, we have two One of the important functions we have approaches — one which speaks about in the Theosophical Society is not only to the magnificence, the inscrutable nature, pick out the pearls from the rubbish of the the mystery of the universe; and the other, many religions, but also to point out that which hardly mentions it, but speaks each of those religions highlighted some- about self-knowledge. Because certain thing of great value we have to know. It teachers have emphasized self-knowledge, is ridiculous, therefore, to try to run down it does not mean that they denied the any particular religion. mystery of the cosmos, or were unaware of its profundities; that would be absurd. Religion is Essential The Buddha, for example, is said to have Religion in the true sense of the term, discouraged people from discussing abs- points out to the human mind that there is truse or far-away questions. He said (this a possibility for it to expand into the region is a famous example) of a man hurt by an of infinite knowledge and infinite love. arrow that when the arrow is piercing the That is essentially what religion tries to flesh the sufferer cannot be discussing do. But it is our work to draw out the abstract things. You have to attend to the essential teachings and throw light on the immediate problem. If you are very sick, profound value of those teachings. This you have to cure yourself first, before you is what is really meant by the study of the can talk about something of a higher order. essential unity of the religions. The unity A sick body cannot deal with profound does not mean identity, as many people things. The Buddha did not deny the exist- think. This is all right at a certain level. ence of cosmic laws, the extraordinary, But the unity of religions consists in the inscrutable nature of cosmic processes. path, if we go to a deeper level. He spoke on the basis of certain presup- It is in the fact that they all show a positions which already existed among path to the Eternal and the Infinite, but the Indian people, for example that the the path starts from a different point in the universe is governed by law. Law works circumference. And there is an infinite not only at the physical and material level, number of points in the circumference, but but at the moral and interior level also. A expressed in many different ways. They law which puts order into everything lay stress on different things, for if perhaps keeps the balance. This was common they presented the whole of it, people knowledge, and the Buddha did not go would be lost. But according to the need into it. He neither denied it nor did he of the time and of the civilization, the emphasize it; he took it for granted that emphasis was changed. For anyone to say people knew about it. that my teaching is the great teaching, the Coming to very recent times, Krishnaji

4 Vol. 134.5 On the Watch-Tower has often been quoted as one who denied in the cosmos there is not only the level the mystery of the cosmos. But on certain perceptible to our senses, accessible to our occasions he did make very brief re- thought, but there are levels which we at marks here and there to show that it present are not capable of touching and existed. In other words, for him it was a perhaps which are subtle. We have to presupposition. Sydney Field, in his develop other faculties in order to come book, mentions that during the course of into contact with them. a conversation Krishnaji said that about reincarnation. This cannot be thought Viewing the Cosmos about even, without joining to it under- The cosmos is a wonderful thing. standing of inner evolution or unfoldment The Astronomer Royal, Sir Martin Rees, and the law of karma. He said reincar- points out that the equilibrium in the nation is a fact, but it is not the truth. universe is beyond all imagination. It is Millions of people speak about rein- so finely equilibrated and dependent on carnation, but if you do not speak about such minute numbers that if any one of it, you see it as part of a vast unlimited those numbers changed by .000001, or process, which is flowing along a certain something like that, the universe would line. If we see that everything is in it, all either collapse or it would expand away the laws and all the integrated aspects of into non-existence. the process, that they are part of the divine What keeps the universe in such a state order, then we look at it in a different light. of equilibrium? For life to exist on this When we consider this point, we may earth, exactly the right conditions have consider the essential meaning of the to exist, otherwise life cannot survive. words cosmos and universe. We use these What makes it survive, what keeps it words very freely if we are discussing such going forth not just a few centuries but matters. Cosmos suggests that there is not for a few kalpa-s? The Hindus would have chaos; not only is it cosmos when there is said it is Vishnu, Vishnu the preserver; no chaos, but cosmos suggests that there Vishnu it is who sustains everything. It is an order, a cohesion, an interrelation- only means there are different aspects of ship, a mutuality between many different the creative energy. There is the energy things, not only at the superficial level but which is strength; it sustains, and if that even within the depths. sustaining energy which is called Vishnu As David Bohm points out there is and which is everywhere in every atom, order in the different dimensions, but all in every particle, did not exist, no creature that is implied in the word cosmos. In would exist; all forms would cease to be. dealing with the cosmos in certain cultures There is something at the highest, most — Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Christian — subtle spiritual level, which maintains this they have spoken about other levels of order, which is from the lowest to the existence. Whether you take them literally highest. Ordinary students of biology, or not, they are symbolical of a fact that physiology, etc., know that order exists,

February 2013 5 The Theosophist but how far it exists is not known to them. exists. Essentially, all of them are in unity. The other day a doctor was telling Even a little reflection on these things me that it is an absolute marvel how the makes us realize that this is the emphasis body — your body, my body, the bodies of the cosmos. If rightly understood, it is of all creatures — has developed. Is it the itself a way to make us break out of the body which has developed, or the process shell of the self. which has developed, resistance to any- Different teachers have pointed to thing which might damage or destroy it? different aspects of the cosmos. The Yoga That mechanism, according to him, is a teachers taught of relationship with the wonder. Because it is not just a single elements being like being near a flowing mechanism; some corpuscles in the blood stream. The vast surface of the ocean, and which gather together and fight the bac- the limitless horizon beyond, to look at teria or something as simple as that. But the sky and the moon and the sun, and to stage by stage the body has a system of ponder over the movement of the stars as resistance, of repelling the enemy and they did, makes you feel that it is all a maintaining itself. Now it is too easy to living thing, that there is a vast mystery in dismiss it by saying it is all in the genes. it. And even if it is studied intellectually But it is the whole system of preservation as Einstein and some others have done, which passes before dissolution takes they felt that when they studied, the place and a new reincarnation (if one mystery was expanding the more. And so might put it like that) of the universe Einstein said it is this mystery which comes into existence. gives the true religious feeling. So the The word universe means oneness, the more you open your heart to the limitless, cosmos as a whole, because for such an to what the cosmos is at the minute level order, such a cohesion to exist, it must be as much as at the vast level, the more you a whole, like many organisms at a very are enabled to slip out of yourself. And much lower level. So the entire universe that is freedom. To break out of the shell or universes is a whole. But the word of egoism, is enlightenment. universe suggests something else, that What is it that prevents us from being there is in it a unity, an undivided essence totally different? It is a barrier which exists which has been and is always in that inside ourselves within which alone can undivided state. The cosmos suggests a the self or ego function. And we are afraid wholeness in which there are miraculous to let go of it, although there have been happenings and an immense diversity; it teachers who have spoken about it. ²

In the higher realm of True Suchness There is neither ‘other’ nor ‘self ’: When a direct identification is asked for, We can only say, ‘Not two’. Jianzhi Sengcan

6 Vol. 134.5 The Secret Doctrine: The Key to Further Knowledge The Secret Doctrine: The Key to Further Knowledge

C. A. SHINDE

THE Secret Doctrine was begun at The aim of this work may be thus stated: Adyar in 1884 as a revision of Blavatsky’s to show that Nature is not ‘a fortuitous Isis Unveiled (1877). In January 1885 her concurrence of atoms’, and to assign to teachers outlined plans for this new book. man his rightful place in the scheme of She said that her Master had come and the Universe; to rescue from degradation given her the choice ‘that I might die and the archaic truths which are the basis of be free if I would, or might live and finish all religions; and to uncover, to some extent, The Secret Doctrine’. She chose to finish the fundamental unity from which they all the job; she said the book was written in spring; finally, to show that the occult side the service of humanity and by humanity. of Nature has never been approached by However H. P. Blavatsky’s near-fatal the Science of modern civilization. (The illness forced her to leave India for Europe Secret Doctrine, I.viii) in March 1885. She could devote herself The first volume, ‘Cosmogenesis’, exclusively to writing only when Count- consists of seven stanzas dealing with the ess Constance Wachtmeister became her birth of universes, suns and planets, and companion in December 1885. In 1888 their kingdoms (elemental, mineral, vege- The Secret Doctrine, a 1571-page book table, animal, human and spiritual). The was published simultaneously in America second volume, ‘Anthropogenesis’, con- and England — Vol. I on 1 November, sists of twelve stanzas covering the origin, and Vol. II on 28 December. The first evolution and destiny of humanity. Both edition of the book was sold out before volumes are based on the archaic stanzas the day of actual publication. of Dzyan and contain sections analysing and interpreting symbolism, and contrast- Aim and Contents of the Book ing science with the Ancient Wisdom. In the Preface, H. P. Blavatsky writes Blavatsky quotes about 1,200 major about the aim of the book: scriptures and authors from many ages

Prof. C. A. Shinde is a National Lecturer of the Indian Section of the TS, and Librarian of the Adyar Library. The year 2013 marks the 125th anniversary of The Secret Doctrine.

February 2013 7 The Theosophist and cultures to illustrate her themes. may also be described as Holism, which The Secret Doctrine thus outlines a implies unity that is not uniformity but an small portion of that universal occult integrated whole or oneness of all life. tradition, ‘the accumulated wisdom of the Uniqueness and diversity are both prod- Ages’. It would be wrong to imagine that ucts of this fundamental oneness. We HPB’s work is the last word on that cannot prove these postulates but if we knowledge, but it is the general outline take them as hypotheses then we may of some basic principles like 1. Unity, understand all the postulates are in some oneness, holism, 2. Polarity of Conscious- way a fulfilment of them. ness and Matter, 3. Order, Lawfulness in the Universe, 4. Harmony and a Septenary 2. The second assertion . . . is the abso- Harmonic Principle, 5. Cycles, the cyclic lute universality of that law of period- nature of Manifestation, 6. Teleology, icity, of flux and reflux, ebb and flow, purpose, 7. Spiritual Perfectibility. The which physical science has observed and contents of The Secret Doctrine can be recorded in all departments of nature. approached through its basic postulates An alternation such as that of Day and which are termed as the Three Funda- Night, Life and Death, Sleeping and mental Propositions. According to H. P. Waking, is a fact so common, so perfect- Blavatsky these are essential to an under- ly universal and without exception, that it standing of the Theosophical philosophy. is easy to comprehend that in it we see one of the absolutely fundamental laws of Fundamental Propositions the universe. 1. An Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless, The second Proposition thus empha- and Immutable PRINCIPLE on which all sizes the duality and cyclic nature of speculation is impossible, since it tran- everything that exists from gods to atoms scends the power of human conception and — issuing from the unknowable principle, could only be dwarfed by any human which points towards the emergence of expression or similitude. It is beyond the time and the ongoing process that we are range and reach of thought — in the words involved in. We know from science as of Mândukya Upanishad, ‘unthinkable well as from our own personal observa- and unspeakable’. tion, that time is undirectional. The movement, the incessant change and the This is an ultimate, eternal, unknow- instability of the world, as well as the stable able cause from which everything is born process of cyclic evolution are mentioned and to which all eventually return. This in this second Proposition. principle she terms ‘Be-ness’ rather than ‘Being’ and identifies its aspects as 3. The fundamental identity of all Souls ‘absolute abstract Space’, absolute abstract with the Universal Over-Soul, the latter Motion and eternal Duration. This unity being itself an aspect of the Unknown

8 Vol. 134.5 The Secret Doctrine: The Key to Further Knowledge

Root; and the obligatory pilgrimage for with intelligences ranging from subatomic every Soul — a spark of the former — beings to the stars and beyond, all seeking through the Cycle of Incarnation (or to unfold themselves by means of re- ‘Necessity’) in accordance with Cyclic and peated embodiments. A universe is reborn Karmic law, during the whole term. by means of all the lesser lives which H. P. Blavatsky thus reintroduces the compose it, the resulting universe being concept of a living universe governed by the effect of the collective action of the one law — the law of harmony or cause old, just as each entity is the result of its and effect or karma. She describes every own actions (karma). unit of manifestation as a consciousness or Monad of infinite potential. Three More Propositions When HPB says that every soul is one Three more Propositions as regards the with the ‘Universal Over-Soul’, that im- evolution of mankind are given in The plies every soul has the potentiality for Secret Doctrine, vol. II: development of the atoms, particles, etc., 1. The simultaneous evolution of seven which are required to create a universe, human groups on seven different portions which requires the development of a multi- of our globe. plicity of cells, all of which are of the same essence. This is the doctrine of the Monad. 2. The birth of the astral, before the The Monad is the essential principle or physical body, the former being a model unit of human consciousness. HPB ex- for the latter. plains the process of within without — an No form of man, nor that of any infinite possibility of creative inputs exists animal, plant or stone has ever been at every level. However difficult it may created. It is only on this plane of ours be for us to visualize or intellectualize it, that it has commenced or ‘expanded from each individual ‘spark’ hangs from the within outwards’. It has commenced from same flame. This metaphor is used in the most sublimated and supersensuous Stanza 7. ‘The spark hangs from the flame essence into its grossest appearance. by the finest thread of Fohat.’ The energy Therefore our human forms have existed that develops between the two polar in Eternity as astral or ethereal prototypes. aspects, the polarity that arises in the one, creates the monad which is also called ‘the 3. Man, in this Round, preceded every two in one’. Once having started, it cannot mammalian. stop. Once it is begun, it is self-generating H. P. Blavatsky makes it clear that: and it must go through births, maturity, senescence, deaths and regenerations. The secret teachings with regard to the Everything must go through this cycle, Evolution of the Universal Cosmos cannot whether it is the universe, a solar system be given, since they could not be under- or a cycle of season. The Cosmos is filled stood by the highest minds in this age, and

February 2013 9 The Theosophist

there seem to be very few Initiates. (The Scientists today are trying to integrate Secret Doctrine, I.13) the universal forces and have now managed to unify the electromagnetic ‘Indeed it must be remembered that all these stanzas appeal to the inner faculties force with weak and strong nuclear forces, rather than to the ordinary comprehension but gravity escapes them entirely. How- of the physical brain.’ Therefore no mat- ever, H. P. Blavatsky wrote about it one ter what one may study in The Secret hundred and twenty-five years ago in The Doctrine one must learn to let the mind Secret Doctrine, when these scientific hold fast, as the basis of its idealization to notions had not even been thought about. the following ideas: a) The fundamental FOHAT is the one energy from which all unity of all existence, b) There is no dead other forms of energy are manifestations matter, c) Man is the microcosm. of various kinds. The Secret Doctrine refers to The H. P. Blavatsky observes that in The Secret Secret Book of Dzyan (see Stanza III, Doctrine she has revealed as much as it is ªloka 12 and its commentary, p.85): necessary for the intuitive student. It is also told that one should not rush into the Then Svabhavat sends Fohat to harden the practical use of the great mystery until one atoms. Each (of these) is a part of the web becomes altruistic. (Universe). Reflecting the ‘Self-Existent Lord (Primeval Light) like a mirror, each Therefore, to unlock the significance becomes in turn a world. . . .’ of the contents of The Secret Doctrine to the fullest extent, one needs to have intui- ‘Fohat hardens the atoms’, i.e., by infusing tive perception, or an unveiled spiritual energy into them; he scatters the atoms or perception. primordial matter. ‘He scatters himself while scattering matter into atoms.’ FOHAT: The Source of all forms of It is through Fohat that the ideas of the energy Universal Mind are impressed upon mat- According to The Secret Doctrine ter. Some faint idea of the nature of Fohat Fohat is the source of all other forms of may be gathered from the appellation energy worlds. ‘World’ here means dif- ‘Cosmic Electricity’ sometimes applied ferent levels of consciousness and energy to it; but to the commonly known prop- that are created from ‘within without’. All erties of electricity must, in this case, be forms of energy, no matter what they are, added others, including intelligence. have a degree of consciousness, a degree of intelligence or a degree of adaptability In Stanza V, ªloka 2c, we find the to the needs of the particular form. In the statement that ‘Fohat becomes the propel- Theosophical point of view, the planes, ling force, the active Power which causes the worlds, proceed from ‘within without’ the ONE to become Two and THREE on and the highest realms are created first. the Cosmic plane of manifestation. The

10 Vol. 134.5 The Secret Doctrine: The Key to Further Knowledge triple One differentiates into the many, and clues help us to understand symbolic then Fohat is transformed into that force systems and the way the universe is put which brings together the elemental atoms together. One can become only Three, i.e., and makes them aggregate and combine. Inwardness, Outwardness and their . . . Fohat is the personified electric vital Relationship to each other. The unfolding power, the transcendental binding unity from three to seven is difficult to un- of all Cosmic Energies.’ It is also of inter- derstand if one thinks of one-two-three est to note that modern science has come and then the quaternary. But from the to the conlusion that all cerebration and Divine Trinity x y z, through combinations brain activity are attended by electrical of these as xy, xz, yz and xyz, they make phenomena. seven in all. These are the seven funda- It is interesting to note that on 4 July mental combinations of any three primary 2012 modern scientists at CERN, the aspects (like Will, Wisdom and Love) and European Organization for Nuclear this is the sevenfold system which the Research based in Geneva, Switzerland, Secret Doctrine uses: This is a clue to the claimed the discovery of a new particle seven latent powers. In order to create a which is consistent with the Higgs Boson. universe, power is needed. The Big Bang The Higgs Boson would help to explain was such an incredible eruption of force why particles have mass, and fills a glar- that it is is immeasurable. In the same way, ing hole in the current best theory to in the stanzas there is the implication of a discover and describe how the Universe force bursting from ‘within without’ with works. The Higgs mechanism proposes a tremendous release of power. that there is a field permeating the The Secret Doctrine teaches that the Universe — the Higgs field — which moon is the parent of the earth and in allows particles to obtain their mass. The considering the evolution of man it is Higgs Boson was proposed by Prof. Higgs important to keep in mind three lines of in 1964 and only this year are scientists evolution — physical, intellectual and in a position to test it with the Large spiritual. When the monads or Egos Hadron Collider (CHL). completed their evolution on the moon, seven streams of monads or waves of life Clue to the Sevenfold Forces or mass of egos came to Earth, having The Secret Doctrine contains no secrets completed their evolution on the moon. but gives important information such as The Secret Doctrine teaches that the the evolution of the planetary chains or physical form of man is built on the the seven races, which gives a clue to the astral model. septenary concept. H. P. Blavatsky insist- The seven latent powers are found in ed that the planes or levels of existence human beings as a tremendous reservoir are sevenfold although subject to infinite of power, like physical powers, emotional subdivision. Numerical or mathematical powers, intellectual powers, intuitive

February 2013 11 The Theosophist power, imaginative power, creative power to make the leaves taste better. The crea- and will power. The Secret Doctrine gives tivity in developing their own responses humanity this key to the further know- to make the most of that environment is ledge of latent powers and of the septenary really a wonder. What goes on at the micro- nature of the universe, but to use that scopic level is very beautiful, what comes power one must equip oneself with a clean forth from a single cell is mind-boggling. life, an open mind and pure heart. True The Secret Doctrine has all that in the knowledge is of the Spirit and in Spirit first stanzas. It is presented in poetic alone, and cannot be acquired in any language but it is really saying the same other way except through the region of thing, i.e., interrelatedness, interconnected- the higher mind, the only plane from ness and interdependence or diversity in which we can penetrate the depths of the unity. One life expressed in diverse forms. all-pervading Absolute. All this may be Those unable to seize the difference achieved by the development of unselfish between the Monad — the Universal Unit universal love for Humanity. — and the Monads or the manifested According to The Secret Doctrine, Unity, as also between the ever-hidden and ordinary evolutionary theory looks at life the revealed LOGOS or the Word, ought in a much more physical and mechanical never to meddle in philosophy, let alone way. But when we look into the past, into the Esoteric Sciences. (I.614) space at the stars, then we see worlds that are as our own world was millions and The book is a masterpiece in thought, millions of years ago. Then we begin to full of inspiring and sublime thoughts. It understand how to make it useful, to make will, doubtlessly, be of great benefit to it grow and change and develop and to those who are eager to know the deeper produce enormous diversity and complex- things of life and who are earnest seekers ity. So it is not only mechanical. But of Truth, searching for true inward bliss evolution has had to develop the exquisite in the subjective, eternal pure spirit. It is responsiveness of every particular creature in a true sense the synthesis of Science, to its environment. Religion and Philosophy. The three For instance, in plants, the leaves man- Objects of the Theosophical Society are age to resist infection caused by insects, also meant to guide humanity towards like bugs, that secrete things that do not progression and perfection, though the taste good, and yet the bugs do something road is steep and thorny. ²

References 1. The Secret Doctrine, vols. I and II, seventh edn., 1979. 2. The Ethics of the Secret Doctrine — Blavatsky Lectures. 3. Sellon, Emily B., The Pilgrim and the Pilgrimage. 4. Benjamin, Elsie, The Stanzas of Dzyan. 5. Blavatsky, H. P., Proem to The Secret Doctrine.

12 Vol. 134.5 Krishnamurti and the Mahatma Letters Krishnamurti and the Mahatma Letters

PEDRO OLIVEIRA

TWO myths were created about compassion and intelligence in its fullness, Krishnamurti since he dissolved the Order an immeasurable field of goodness and of the Star in August 1929. The first myth all-embracing beneficence. maintains that whatever he taught was Although he himself decried the formal unique and never before propounded by religious narratives of spiritual progress, any previous spiritual teacher. The second pointing out that most of them are just myth is that he did not teach Theosophy modified forms of an age-old condition- but rejected it. These two myths have ing of the mind, his own life, lived in the become contending ideologies — per- broad daylight of the twentieth century, ceived truths — and not surprisingly have embodies the ancient descriptions of a gained vocal and sometimes tenacious true initiatory journey leading to a level adherents in different places. However, of transcendence that probably even those as Bro. N. Sri Ram pointed out, ‘Truth near him could neither understand nor recedes into the background when the appreciate. speaker about Truth is very much in the One of the unique features of the book foreground.’ known as The Mahatma Letters to A. P. It was suggested to me in a conver- Sinnett lies in the fact that it not only sation with someone who was in close presents important teachings about the contact with him, that Krishnamurti was nature of reality, life and consciousness, not an ordinary individual. There was but that it also throws light on the Krishnamurti, the man, who had advanced conditions in which genuine spiritual significantly in spiritual unfoldment, as unfoldment can take place, central to those around him could testify. There was which is the need for constant awareness also K, as he used to refer to himself, who and vigilance about the clever strategies was able to completely empty himself of which the personal self devises for the all thought and impressions, as mentioned survival of its own illusions. Again and in his Notebook, and thus become a again, the Mahatmas reiterate that the recipient to that Otherness which is both daily conquest of the self is of central Mr Pedro Oliveira, a member of the Australian Section of the TS, has worked at Adyar and elsewhere.

February 2013 13 The Theosophist concern for those who genuinely aspire rewarded. In order to acquire further to help humanity out of its predicament. knowledge, he has no more to go through What follows is an attempt, rather pre- a minute and slow process of investigation carious one might say, of putting together and comparison of various objects, but is selected passages from the Mahatma accorded an instantaneous, implicit insight Letters and aspects of the teachings of into every first truth. . . . the adept sees Krishnamurti which may indicate a pos- and feels and lives in the very source of sible timeless source for both, the nature all fundamental truths. (ML, no. 31, p. 55) of which seems to be not an ideological, theological or belief-based intellectual Intrinsic to religion, philosophy and framework, but a living, life-altering in- science are methods of achieving a goal. sight into the core of the human condition. Prayer, meditation, reflection and inquiry, It is only natural that students of both observation, testing and mathematical for- Krishnamurti and the Mahatma Letters mulations can be seen as roads to reach may not agree with this perspective. the goal in each of these fields. But it seems However, the similarities in both teachings to be equally true that most of the time seem to speak for themselves. Passages the so-called ‘goal’ is preset out of our pre- from Krishnamurti’s teachings are taken conceptions and expectations. As we have from his statement, ‘The Core of the seen recently, nature and existence keep Teachings’, written by him in 1980. The surprising scientists and forcing them to ones from the Mahatma Letters are taken abandon lifelong notions. Alas, the same from the Chronological Edition (2003). does not happen to religion with ortho- doxy set to increase its influence on more The core of Krishnamurti’s teaching is people around the world. Progress in contained in the statement he made in philosophy, at least in the Western world, 1929 when he said, ‘Truth is a pathless seems difficult, as hard and dry intellectual land’. Man cannot come to it through categories seem to outlive the need for any organization, through any creed, fresh insight into the human condition. through any dogma, priest or ritual, not The above quotations indicate that through any philosophical knowledge or truth is to be found in living, not in intellec- psychological technique. He has to find tual strategies or emotionally-based hopes it through the mirror of relationship, which may be nothing more than the same through the understanding of the con- old self in its movement for survival and tents of his own mind, through observation continuity. Insight into truth is unmedi- and not through intellectual analysis or ated, direct, when the mind ceases to introspective dissection. (K) pursue, label, ascertain and describe. It Believe me, there comes a moment in the transforms the mind and consciousness life of an adept, when the hardships he because it renders them utterly vulnerable has passed through are a thousandfold to the reality of an undivided existence, a

14 Vol. 134.5 Krishnamurti and the Mahatma Letters ground of sanctity and renewal that the — every tragedy in relationships takes mind, by itself, cannot know. place. The news media around the world are crowded with stories of family, group Man has built in himself images as a fence and individual violence arising out of of security — religious, political, personal. jealousy, greed, revenge, and so on. Some These manifest as symbols, ideas, beliefs. individuals think they may be safer in The burden of these images dominates groups and join them, only to express in man’s thinking, his relationships, and his their lives a deeper degree of separate- daily life. These images are the causes of ness and division, as well as suspicion, our problems for they divide man from even hatred. man. His perception of life is shaped by As the Mahatma Letter mentioned the concepts already established in his above declares, evil is the progeny of mind. The content of his consciousness is selfishness and greed. There is ample his entire existence. The individuality is evidence in the world today that they the name, the form and superficial cul- dominate the content of human con- ture he acquires from tradition and sciousness. In spite of centuries of reli- environment. (K) gious teachings, lofty philosophical The real evil proceeds from human inquiry and scientific progress, the human intelligence and its origin rests entirely mind is still kept in bondage by the giant with reasoning man who dissociates weed of selfishness. The two Voyager himself from Nature. Humanity, then, spacecrafts, launched thirty-five years alone is the true source of evil. Evil is the ago, are in the ‘Heliosheath’, the outermost exaggeration of good, the progeny of layer of the heliosphere, having travelled human selfishness and greediness. Think eighteen billion kilometres away from profoundly and you will find that save death Earth. Yet, famine, disease and war are — which is no evil but a necessary law, killing millions of human beings every and accidents which will always find their year. Does this help to show that mere reward in a future life — the origin of intellectual knowledge is not enough in every evil whether small or great is in order to bring about a better world? human action, in man whose intelligence Freedom is not a reaction; freedom is not makes him the one free agent in Nature. It choice. It is man’s pretence that because is not nature that creates diseases, but man. he has choice he is free. Freedom is pure (ML, no. 88, p. 273) observation without direction, without Division has become humanity’s fear of punishment and reward. Freedom second nature. It is deeply entrenched in is without motive; freedom is not at the the human psyche and is one of the central end of the evolution of man but lies in constituents of the personal self in us. Out the first step of his existence. In obser- of this deeply rooted sense of division — vation, one begins to discover the lack or a fence of security, in Krishnaji’s terms of freedom. Freedom is found in the

February 2013 15 The Theosophist

choiceless awareness of our daily exist- problems. Only those who understand ence and activity. (K) themselves and go beyond can help them in their work for humanity, for they are The fact is, that to the last and supreme not concerned with individuals but the initiation, every chela — (and even some world as a whole. adepts) — is left to his own device and counsel. We have to fight our own battles, Thought is time. Thought is born of and the familiar adage — ‘the adept experience and knowledge, which are becomes, he is not made’ is true to the inseparable from time and the past. Time letter. Since every one of us is the creator is the psychological enemy of man. Our and producer of the causes that lead to such action is based on knowledge and there- or some other results, we have to reap but fore time, so man is always a slave to the what we have sown. (ML, no. 92, p. 294) past. Thought is ever limited and so we live in constant conflict and struggle. There There cannot be real freedom without is no psychological evolution. (K) self-responsibility. To become completely responsible for one’s actions and one’s life, As for human nature in general, it is the and to renounce once and for all to blame same now as it was a million of years ago: circumstances and other people for our Prejudice based upon selfishness; a general own predicament, is very rare in this unwillingness to give up an established world. Attributing culpability to others is order of things for new modes of life and very easy to do, as well as very pleasing, thought — and occult study requires all for we then do not have to deal with the that and much more —; pride and stubborn ugly features of our own self. The truly resistance to Truth if it but upset their religious life is an acceleration of the previous notions of things, — such are process of self-confrontation. Unless we the characteristics of your age . . . (ML, see ourselves as we are, we perpetuate no. 1, p. 3) illusion. There is much talk about change in the As Carl Jung remarked, ‘we become world today. Praises are heaped on the enlightened not by imagining figures of ‘information revolution’, with instant- light, but by making darkness conscious’. aneous communication from and to every Mme Blavatsky struck the same keynote: place on the globe. The way of doing ‘The first necessity for obtaining self- business is also changing, with banks em- knowledge is to become profoundly con- ploying less and less people as electronic scious of ignorance; to feel with every fibre transactions take over human interaction. of the heart that one is ceaselessly self- Technological advancements have also deceived.’ Unlike what many in the world helped medical sciences. However, all this today are prone to believe, the Masters ‘change’ looks very one-dimensional, do not exist to tell people what to do and affecting very little the deeper levels of to make them forget about their own human consciousness. The so-called

16 Vol. 134.5 Krishnamurti and the Mahatma Letters social media sites are littered with It is all over now: the New Year’s irrelevant, superficial and sometimes festivities are at an end and I am ‘Self’ blatantly aggressive messages. Some once more. But what is Self? Only a people may have a thousand ‘friends’ in passing guest, whose concerns are all like any of these sites without having ever met a mirage of the great desert. . . . (ML, no. them or known most of them! Krishnaji’s 47, p. 129). The supreme energy resides well-known phrase, ‘Time is the enemy in the Buddhi; latent — when wedded of man’, assumes a striking relevance as to Âtman alone, active and irresistible the human mind navigates countless sites when galvanized by the essence of ‘Manas’ in cyberspace and yet remains deeply and when none of the dross of the latter isolated, frustrated and worldly. commingles with that pure essence to From a spiritual point of view, real weigh it down by its finite nature. Manas, change cannot come without sacrificing pure and simple, is of a lower degree, and that which is illusory, unimportant and of the earth earthly: and so your greatest trivial in oneself. And the very root of men count but as non-entities in the arena illusion is one’s sense of a separated self. where greatness is measured by the The Mahatma’s statement that human standard of spiritual development. (ML, nature in general is the same now as it was no. 111, p. 375) a million years ago confirms Krishnaji’s insight that there is no psychological evo- That to which we attach so much lution. The entire world confirms that, as importance — the self — from the point selfishness still reigns over the human of view of the Mahatma is just ‘a passing mind. Perhaps real change can only come guest’. Krishnaji affirms that the division with a revolution in oneself, a letting go between the observer and the observed is of all impressions, attachments and an illusion. What is the nature of the per- laboriously-built self-images. Christian ception that sees through the shenanigans mystics called this to be poor in Spirit: to of the self? The words used by Krishnaji dare to be nothing to oneself. above are awareness, observation, insight. The one used by the Mahatma is Buddhi. When man becomes aware of the Is it possible that the energy present in movement of his own thoughts, he will such insight helps us to break through the see the division between the thinker and confining walls of self-centredness, allow- thought, the observer and the observed, ing us to see life anew? the experiencer and the experience. He will discover that this division is an illu- Total negation is the essence of the sion. Then only is there pure observation positive. When there is negation of all which is insight without any shadow of those things that thought has brought about the past or of time. This timeless insight psychologically, only then is there love, brings about a deep, radical mutation in which is compassion and intelligence. (K) the mind. (K) Until final emancipation reabsorbs the Ego,

February 2013 17 The Theosophist

it must be conscious of the purest an Immense Love for humanity — as a sympathies called out by the esthetic Whole! For it is ‘Humanity’ which is the effects of high art, its tenderest cords great Orphan, the only disinherited one respond to the call of the holier and nobler upon this earth, my friend. (ML, no. 15, human attachments. Of course, the greater p. 48) the progress towards deliverance, the less The self, by its very nature, denies this will be the case, until, to crown all, love for it is incapable of expressing human and purely individual personal its universality and truth. Love, in its feelings — blood-ties and friendship, essential nature, cannot be confined, patriotism and race predilection — all will limited, imprisoned. From a spiritual point give away, to become blended into one of view there is no distinction between universal feeling, the only true and holy, love and freedom. When we are free from the only unselfish and Eternal one — Love, self, love is the only reality. ²

If there is any ultimate stuff of the universe, it is pure energy, but subatomic particles are not ‘made of ’ energy, they are energy. This is what Einstein theorized in 1905. Subatomic interactions, therefore, are interactions of energy with energy. At the subatomic level there is no longer a clear distinction between what is and what happens, between the actor and the action. At the subatomic level the dancer and the dance are one. According to particle physics, the world is fundamentally dancing energy; energy that is everywhere and incessantly assuming first this form and then that. What we have been calling matter (particles) constantly is being created, annihilated and created again. This happens as particles interact and it also happens, literally, out of nowhere. Where there was ‘nothing’ there suddenly is ‘something’, and then the some- thing is gone again, often changing into something else before vanishing. In particle physics there is no distinction between empty, as in ‘empty space’, and not-empty, or between something and not-something. The world of particle physics is a world of sparkling energy forever dancing with itself in the form of its particles as they twinkle in and out of existence, collide, transmute and disappear again. Gary Zukav The Dancing Wu Li Masters

18 Vol. 134.5 Remarks on Adyar Day, 17 February 2012 Remarks on Adyar Day, 17 February 2012

RAVI RAVINDRA

WHAT an extraordinary confluence perception of Leadbeater to have seen a of subtle energies there is in the life and scrawny young boy, Jiddu Krishnamurti, work of the TS on 17 February! It is the at some distance and recognize the future day of the passing of Col. Olcott and of great world teacher. And many other J. Krishnamurti. It is also the day when amazing perceptions of Leadbeater’s have Giordano Bruno was burnt at the stake by been well documented. the Catholic Church in 1600 for holding Annie Besant could certainly have scientific perspectives about multiple been an incarnation of the energy also em- universes and the infinite dimensions of bodied by Bruno. She had great courage the universe. It is said that Annie Besant and remarkable insight, but greatness of was an incarnation of Bruno. Also, it heart was her special strength. She was was 17 February in India, when C. W. compassion incarnate. I heard Krishnaji Leadbeater was born on 16 February in say that if you wish to know what com- his native land! We can only speculate passion is, you should learn about Annie why there has been such an incredible Besant. I was happy to find a statue confluence of energies, and wonder. labelled ‘Annie Besant, the Hindu Saint’ It is difficult to imagine the TS with- in the Bharat Samaj Temple in Haridwar, out the skill, dedication and hard work of commemorating the Hindu sages and Col. Olcott. Given his special dedication saints over the ages. to the teachings of the Buddha, it is useful It is awe-inspiring that Adyar Day for us to recall a remark of the Buddha: should be a reminder of all these very ‘Your work is to discover your work and great personages at this place, and all in then with all your heart to give yourself the first quarter of the twentieth century. to it.’ Without question, this was true of It is good for us to remind ourselves of Olcott. He discovered his work and then the enormously large forces running the gave himself to it with all his heart. cosmos. Even during this morning’s We can only marvel at the occult gathering, galaxies are appearing and

Dr Ravi Ravindra is Retired Professor, Dalhousie University, Canada. He is the author of several books, including Yoga and the Teaching of Krishna. Talk given at Adyar.

February 2013 19 The Theosophist disappearing. A very helpful reminder started in 1979, thirty-three years ago, by Albert Einstein is: ‘Human beings, when Mrs Dora Kunz, the then President vegetables, or cosmic dust — we all of the American Section, somehow found dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in out that I was at that time a professor both the distance by an invisible piper.’ of Physics and of Religion at Dalhousie Out of the incredibly large amounts University in Canada. She was intrigued of energy and matter in the universe, for by what to most people seems an incon- a few decades, we — each one of us, is gruous combination of interests, and made sufficiently coherent for us to be invited me to speak at Olcott in Wheaton, able to think, feel and act. It seems almost the headquarters of the TS in USA. A obvious that in the midst of these vast couple of years later, in 1981, I landed in cosmological forces, we human beings Adyar. I was invited to give a public have only two options: we can be uncon- lecture in the headquarters building. The scious slaves of these forces or willing response of the President, Dr Radha servants. If we wish to be servants rather Burnier, was enthusiastic and generous. than slaves, it is necessary for us to try to She said: ‘Any time you wish to come understand the intricate laws and energies and teach in the School of the Wisdom that govern the workings of the cosmos here, we will be happy to have you.’ Since and to try to understand what the great then until now, I must have taught in the sages in the various traditions have un- School at least a dozen times. derstood and have tried to teach us. This If I add up all the time I have spent in naturally brings us to the emphasis of the Adyar — by which I mean only the TS TS on a study of science, philosophy and campus for I quite seldom go out — it religion — across traditions and, even will amount to more than a year. I have more importantly, with an emphasis on always been treated here with goodwill, subtler levels of reality. courtesy and generosity. I have experi- A sense of service to Truth and to the enced the greatest freedom in exploring Society is perhaps the outstanding char- various topics in the School, as I have acteristic of all the four persons whose generally taken a subject to teach, not names are associated with Adyar Day — because I know it, but because I wish to Olcott, Leadbeater, Annie Besant and learn. These subjects have been across the Krishnamurti. For them, it was not a com- usual boundaries of disciplines, cultures pulsion or restriction on their lives. They and epochs. My experience of the par- would have happily agreed with a remark ticipants in the School — consisting of of Rabindranath Tagore: ‘I slept and many young searchers, experienced dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw scholars, occasionally monks or priests of that life was service. I acted and behold, one or another religious order — has been service was joy.’ very rewarding. Participants have come My own connection with the TS from many countries, with varying

20 Vol. 134.5 Remarks on Adyar Day, 17 February 2012

backgrounds and accents. On occasion I debt to the deva-s, to the sages, to the have found myself translating American ancestors, and to society’ (I.7,2,1), and it accents for the Indian participants, and is only through yajña — which is only vice versa! I have not experienced such partially correctly rendered as ‘sacrifice’ variety of interest, of seriousness, and of and is much closer to a collaborative background expertise in any other audi- activity between the deva-s and human ence as repeatedly as in the School of beings — that this debt can be paid, for the Wisdom. It is both a challenge and ‘Yajña is the person’ (I.3,2,1). a blessing. For me, engaging in explorations of the In more than one case, a course in the great texts is a way to pay my debt to the School resulted in editing or publication sages, and sometimes when some clarity of a book. For example, this was true for emerges and when it is communicated to my books, Science and the Sacred and the others, I feel as if I am engaged in a Yoga and the Teaching of Krishna. A part yajña and, at least temporarily, a deva is of the generosity of the TS at Adyar for invoked. I imagine all of you must have me has been the publication of several of that sense occasionally when you are my books by TPH. Both of the books touched by a sense of service which is not just mentioned were first published by personal and something is well attempted TPH in Adyar; only later did other pub- — whether it succeeds or not. Such lishers bring them out in USA. Some other moments are the treasures of benediction. books published elsewhere have also We need to make our efforts; failure been published by TPH Adyar for the or success is not entirely in our hands. Indian market. As the sage said in the ªvetâºvatara The recent project of mine in the School Upanishad (VI.21): ‘All realization is a of the Wisdom, of even a surface explor- combination of tapas prabhâva and deva ation of the §g Veda, turned out to be a prasâda — the effect of our human effort much bigger one than I had anticipated. and the blessings of the deva-s.’ But I am happy to have attempted it and Everything in the Theosophical litera- will leave here with much humility to- ture, and all the remarkable leaders asso- wards and an enormous respect for the ciated with Adyar Day, call us again and ancient ·shi-s, and with much gratitude to again to attempt to connect with the realm them for their repeated call to the realm of existence indicated by satyam, ·tam of satyam, ·tam, b·hat (Truth, Order, and jyoti — Truth, Order and Light. We Vastness) or satyam, ·tam, jyoti (Truth, cannot not have a sense of gratitude for , Order, Light) or that of satyam, ·tam their efforts and the heritage left by them. am·tam (Truth, Order, Eternal Life). In closing, I would like to quote some The ancient text ªatapatha Brâhmana remarks made by Krishnamurti in 1924 says: ‘When a person is born, whoever (The Adyar Notes and News, 12 April he may be, there is born simultaneously a 1928):

February 2013 21 The Theosophist

I have visited many a wonderful land and self-objectivity and a renewal of effort. seen many a famous sight, but there is none Where do we stand? What would an to equal the extraordinary intangible some- impartial observer say about the life and thing of our Adyar. There is an atmosphere attitudes prevalent in Adyar now? Short- there that does not exist in many a church time visitors can be critical of what goes and temple, and there is a Presence there on in Adyar or can be awed by its pos- that we expect to perceive in a sacred sibility too quickly. Life is never easy in shrine. One can become either a God or a any intentional community. Each one of pitiful sinner at Adyar. It is a wondrous us is constantly in danger of betraying spot, and it must be maintained as though the grand vision of a great tradition. A it were a holy temple. tradition is not kept alive by merely Adyar Day exists to remind the members repeating the external forms of the of the glorious place and to urge them to tradition. Each one of us, including do their best to make Adyar a worthy and myself, needs to engage in deep self- dignified shrine for the Masters. questioning. In what direction are my energies and actions oriented? Towards What a great challenge: one can becoming a deva or a pitiful sinner? Only become either a God or a pitiful sin- impartial self-knowledge can lead to ner at Adyar! Adyar Day is a call to Brahma Vidyâ or true Theosophy. ²

By Truth is the earth sustained, and by the sun are the heavens; by Order ( § ta) the gods stand and Soma is set in the sky. §g Veda, X.85.1

22 Vol. 134.5 Krishnamurti: The Rhetorical-Literary Contribution Krishnamurti: The Rhetorical-Literary Contribution

DANIEL ROSS CHANDLER

THROUGH speaking, teaching and the sea was like a lake or an enormous writing, the world teacher presented a river — without a ripple, and so calm that distinctive intellectual-spiritual approach you could see the reflections of the stars that Krishnamurti recommended to so early in the morning. The dawn had aspiring individuals seeking inner trans- not yet come, so the stars, the reflection formation. He addressed the persistent on the cliff and the distant lights of the questions and enduring problems inherent town were there on the water. . . . within humans’ spiritual quest that were As you watched, a great stillness came into pondered in Freedom from the Known: you. . . . The quality of that silence, that Man has throughout the ages been seek- stillness, is not felt by the brain; it is ing something beyond himself, beyond beyond the brain. . . . You are so still that material welfare — something we call your body becomes completely part of the truth or God or reality, a timeless state — earth, part of everything that is still. something that cannot be disturbed by Watching the sun making a golden circumstances, by thought or by human path across the California seascape, corruption. . . . Krishnamurti experienced an extra- And not finding this nameless thing of a ordinary quality of silence and concluded thousand names which he has always that no one was there, that no one existed. sought, he has cultivated faith — faith in There was simply that awesome stillness, a saviour or an ideal — and faith invariably an indescribable beauty, and an extra- breeds violence. ordinary sense of love. As quietly as a coming dawn and arising from somewhere By blending beautifully descriptive deep within, there emerged an immensity passages picturing nature with explan- that ‘seemed to have no roots, no cause ations about philosophical principles, he but yet it was there, intense and solid, presented an experiential methodology with a depth and a height that are not that he commended to seekers. ‘That measurable’. In his Notebook Krishna- morning’, he wrote in Meditations, murti wrote:

Dr Daniel Ross Chandler, residing in the USA, is a frequent contributor on diverse topics.

February 2013 23 The Theosophist

Walking along the path that followed wherever you go, in whatever climate the fast-running stream, cool and pleas- you live . . . belief and faith are common ant, with many people about, there was to all mankind — the images and symbols that benediction, as gentle as the leaves may be totally different in various localities and there was in it a dancing joy. But but they stem from something common to there was beyond and through it that im- all mankind. mense, solid strength and power that An authentically religious person is not was unapproachable. One felt that there an individual who wears a robe or loin- was immeasurable depth behind it, un- cloth, survives on a single meal daily or fathomable. subscribes to specific vows; a genuinely Sitting silently immersed within this religious person is inwardly simple and immensity, Krishnamurti sensed that the not becoming anything. entire universe and everything existing Exemplifying and teaching meditation, within the solar system comprises a single Krishnamurti described that practice as interrelated and interdependent whole. not a means for reaching an end but Every existent being is rooted in the same, both a means and an end, the seeing of life-creating Reality intuited as all- what is and going beyond, discovering a pervasive, although that Reality is never dimension that is not contaminated with completely contained within the parts but what is known. Meditation was explained transcends the expressions and manifest- as the flowering of understanding, the light ations. The Reality reveals itself through within the mind that illumines the way the purposeful, ordered and meaningful towards action, and the finding of an processes pervading nature and the ending of knowledge and experiencing deepest recesses in the mind and spirit. freedom from the known. The world Recognition affirming the uniqueness teacher considered meditation as freedom within every living creature prompts a from thought, a momentary ecstasy of reverence for life, compassion for every truth. Krishnamurti regarded meditation sentient creature, sympathy for the truth- of a completely silent mind as the bene- seekers in every passing generation, and diction that humanity ceaselessly seeks; an appreciation of spirituality as inevitably the death that meditation facilitates is the experiential. ‘Consciousness’, he indicated immortality of the new. As he stated in in The Network of Thought his Notebook: is common to all mankind. Throughout Meditation is destruction to security and the world man suffers inwardly as well there is great beauty in meditation, not the as outwardly[;] there is anxiety, uncer- beauty of the things that have been put tainty, utter despair of loneliness; there is together by man or by nature but of silence. insecurity, jealousy, greed, envy and This silence is emptiness in which and suffering. This is logical, sane, rational: from which all things flow and have their

24 Vol.134.5 Krishnamurti: The Rhetorical-Literary Contribution

being. It is unknowable, neither intellect Krishnamurti was primarily an educator nor feeling can make their way to it; there engaged in educating students, teaching is no way to it and a method to it is the them that inevitably all education is invention of a greedy brain. religious. Krishnamurti’s life-long preoccupa- Achieving a fundamental revolution within oneself requires understanding the tion with education blossomed with his entire process of one’s thought and feeling Beginnings of Learning, in which the in relationship. Understanding comes author emphasizes that education should through being aware of what is; knowing be learning about living and that the what is without condemning or justifying central concern should address dealing what is constitutes the beginning of wis- effectively with the most fundamental dom. Krishnamurti invited individuals problems of all human life. The first to inaugurate a voyage on an uncharted section contains discussions among sea where they might experience ‘an Krishnamurti and the students and staff at extraordinary thing, a movement beyond Brockwood Park School in England; and the measure of time, a spring that knows the second presents Krishnamurti’s con- no summer’. versations with parents and teachers. Through sixty-five eventful years, As a reprint of Krishnamurti’s early Krishnamurti travelled extensively in writings and poetry composed between India, Europe, Australia, and North and 1923 and 1931, From Darkness to Light South America where the world teacher reveals a facet of Krishnamurti’s person- fulfilled speaking engagements through ality that is characterized by his intense which he worked to make humanity sensitivity and passionate appeal to ‘absolutely, unconditionally free. With- individuals to see reality. This same out espousing a theological doctrine, passionate concern and sustained vigour he laboured to liberate people from is evident in his The Future is Now: Last conditioning. His seemingly countless Talks in India, which contains talks and conversations, speeches and writings were discussions from Krishnamurti’s final compiled into fifty books, some translated travels in India in 1985. Krishnamurti to into forty-seven languages’. He ex- Himself: His Last Journal was dictated pounded a revolutionary and completely into a tape recorder at his home, Pine original philosophy that attracted the Cottage, in the Ojai Valley, California. thoughtful attention and respectful inter- All except one of the articles presented est of writers, statesmen, scientists and in this book were composed using this scholars. However this world teacher’s method. Krishnamurti to Himself: His greatest impression and important in- Last Journal contains his essential fluence exists in the lives of countless teachings and his poetic perspective of students who sat at this spiritual master’s the natural beauty of the surroundings. feet or read his inspiring writings. Krishnamurti’s Last Talks at Saanen 1985

February 2013 25 The Theosophist records this teacher’s final talks at Saanen, physicist David Bohm, Truth and Switzerland, where for twenty-five years Actuality probes the nature of reality and he hosted an international summer truth and concludes that although these gathering. In these talks and discussions are related to each other, truth and reality he stresses repeatedly that he is neither a are different and not interchangeable. In guru nor a leader, but that together he and The Awakening of Intelligence, Krishna- his students are enquiring as friends into murti and several colleagues confront the human predicament and the human subjects that include pleasure, conflict, condition. intelligence, self-knowledge and religious Some students believe that among experience. These discussants consider Krishnamurti’s most outstanding pub- the function performed by a teacher and lications is The Future of Humanity, which the effects exerted by tradition upon is an engaging dialogue conducted with belief; the fragmentation of consciousness Professor David Bohm. The book ex- and the possibility of a psychological plores the prospects for the continued revolution; the traditional Vedânta existence of the world, given humanity’s methods for assisting different levels of immense capacity for self-destruction. students; and the source of matter, thought Commencing by questioning the future and intelligence. Krishnamurti’s classic prospects for humanity, these dialogues book, Education and the Significance of suggest that although modern technology Life, demonstrates that education that is frequently condemned or strongly does not culminate in a deep integration criticized for creating enormous havoc of thought, feeling and behaviour is throughout the social structure, the inauthentic educaton. Education and the fundamental problem is destructive Significance of Life contends convin- human tendencies that have existed since cingly that numerous modern methods of the beginnings of human history. These teaching emphasize slavish conformity to tendencies are rooted in humanity’s social mass values and questionable educational conditioning and must be changed if techniques. Krishnamurti’s Exploration Homo sapiens are to exist upon the earth. into Insight surveys several subjects, Within Krishnamurti’s essential including the freedom of the mind from writings is the repeated claim that these the bondage of memory and time; the destructive human tendencies emanate crucial changes in consciousness; and the from social conditioning and must be blossoming of insight that sprouts deep changed through a radical transformation roots of stability to the mind. The Ending of human consciousness. of Time contains penetrating dialogues Krishnamurti’s preoccupation with between Krishnamurti and David Bohm, a phenomenon called consciousness who question whether humanity has taken pervades his speaking and writing. Com- a wrong turn that has precipitated almost mencing with three discussions with endless division, destruction and disaster.

26 Vol.134.5 Krishnamurti: The Rhetorical-Literary Contribution A general purpose that prompts the mechanized mind, in The Way of Krishnamurti’s teaching might be Intelligence. The Flight of the Eagle described as the extension of spiritual contains transcripts of his speeches and freedom. Freedom from the Known discussions in London, Amsterdam, Paris indicates how people can liberate and Switzerland in 1969. Krishnamurti themselves immediately from what the explored subjects such as fragmentation, author describes as the tyranny of the violence, radical change, meditation and known. One of Krishnamurti’s early the art of seeing. With David Bohm and books, The First and Last Freedom, David Shainberg, Krishnamurti composed explores subjects such as suffering, fear, The Wholeness of Life, in which these three gossip and sex — while continually discussants considered why humanity has returning to the primary subject, freedom. existed in chaos and suffering through The Flame of Attention is a collection of countless centuries and proposed how speeches that Krishnamurti presented in Homo sapiens can inaugurate a new India, England, Switzerland and the approach to alleviating this unmitigated United States between 1981 and 1982. misery. Intellectual and spiritual freedom These addresses indicate his illuminating seem inseparable in Krishnamurti’s philo- insight and boundless compassion when sophical writings. he confronts people’s insecurity and Nevertheless, education provides the anxiety existing on a personal and an primary methodology for nurturing international level. In talks given in people. From speeches presented by Amsterdam and Saanen, he compared Krishnamurti in India before students the conditioning of the mind with the and teachers gathered at the Rishi Valley programming of a computer. These and Rajghat Schools comes his classic talks were published as The Network of statement, Krishnamurti on Education. In Thought. In 1969, when countless college this book the author provides the most campuses erupted with unrest, Krishna- complete summary of his educational murti presented speeches to students in the philosophy and explains that education’s United States and Puerto Rico, in which primary significance rests in communi- he discussed the meaning of freedom. cating that which remains central in the These addresses are entitled Talks with transformation of the human mind and American Students. Speeches and dis- the creation of a new culture. In another cussions presented by Krishnamurti at collection entitled Life Ahead, Krishna- Brandeis University, the University of murti presents education in a manner California at Berkeley, Stanford University that transcends the traditional curriculum and the University of California at Santa and the conventional purpose usually Cruz were published in Krishnamurti’s attributed to education. You Are the World. The world teacher Things of the Mind contains four discussed intelligence, computers and discussions among Krishnamurti,

February 2013 27 The Theosophist university and high school students, and appears unusually alert and impressively teachers and professors; the themes and alive, resembling Ralph Waldo Emerson’s theses that they consider include the nature ‘Man Thinking’, with mind communicating of conditioning, education as condition- with mind. ing, and holistic education. Employing However Jiddu Krishnamurti as a man effectively a series of exchanges, Krishna- and a philosopher is revealed best through murti assists his audience to analyse his writings that are particularly personal. subjects including the origin and roots of Writing in his simple, direct, richly poetic thought, the limits of consciousness, and style, Krishnamurti shares his personal the nature of pleasure and joy in The reflections, private meditations and per- Impossible Question. Krishnamurti ob- ceptive observations in an instantaneously serves insightfully that enquirers always intelligible Krishnamurti’s Journal. In a raise the question of what is possible but unique daily record describing his never pursue the impossible question. perceptions and states of consciousness Humanity’s enduring philosophical ques- entitled Krishnamurti’s Notebook, the tions concerning the causes of confusion, author-speaker presents the wellspring of the meaning of everyday living, the nature his essential teaching arising from a and content of thought, the nature of a natural source. The world teacher is good mind and the meaning of the especially penetrating when describing religious life, are presented brilliantly in the origin of his teaching while he Mind without Measure. From Krishna- experiences ‘otherness’, ‘immensity’ and murti’s talks with students, teachers and the ‘benediction’. Krishnamurti’s splendid parents in schools in India comes Think spirituality is revealed clearly and simply on These Things. Whether in a conver- in his beautiful Meditations, a special sation with another person, describing a compilation containing sixty-two pass- magnificent sunset splashed against a ages pondering meditation. For countless crimson horizon or presenting a public students, Krishnamurti’s three volumes speech contained in this book, Krishna- containing his commentaries are essential. murti employs a communicative method In Commentaries on Living, he considers for addressing his remarks not exclusively human hopes, fears, illusions, beliefs, with an immediate audience but to anyone prejudices and problems; using simple anywhere who will engage in his thinking. language, the author penetrates their Krishnamurti’s only speeches delivered fundamental foundation. Krishnamurti in Washington DC, were presented be- remembers and reconstructs conversa- fore capacity audiences gathered at the tions in which persons discussed with Kennedy Centre; in two talks that were him their personal problems and per- published subsequently as Washington, plexities; the author juxtaposes with these DC, Talks 1985, Krishnamurti seemingly accounts statements describing nature summarized his entire educational philo- that are significantly related to these sophy. Throughout his presentation he remembrances. ²

28 Vol.134.5 Vale Adyar Vale Adyar

DONNA MARGHERITA RUSPOLI

WHEN the time comes for the Theo- reflect themselves in the inner; here in sophical student who has been privileged these silent spaces there is room for great to live at Adyar, to leave it, he realizes thoughts and purposes to grow. fully at last how great is the influence that As the eye sees that which it brings Adyar has exerted over him, and how with it to see, and the heart receives in the strongly he has learnt to love the Home degree to which it opens itself to receive, of the Society. The imminence of his de- so it is important for the newcomer to parture shows him, if he has not realized understand what his share must be towards it completely before, how wide is the gulf, bringing about the change that Adyar can how deep the line of cleavage between it effect in him. Otherwise, the perfect liberty and the outside world to which he must enjoyed by all here, the absence of outer return. If he came lightly, or thinking of reminders (such as surround the novice personal benefit or enjoyment, he un- in a religious establishment) that this is derstands now, as he looks backward to ‘Master’s land’, may cause him to lose that occasion, that his frame of mind some time before assuming the proper should instead have been the one incul- attitude towards the place. The very cated in the biblical words: ‘Put off thy freedom that leaves to him the ordering shoes from off thy feet, for the place of his daily occupations, making it no whereon thou standest is holy ground.’ one’s business save his own whether he The newcomer should indeed hasten fritters away his time or uses it to the best to put off all worldly thoughts and habits advantage, may a little bewilder him, if of mind. For here, in a spiritual atmo- he has not grasped the fact that students sphere such as he has never known be- are expected to be self-dependent in all fore, and leading a life whose simplicity these things, already accustomed to and quietude are hardly to be reached definitely regulating their own lives and when living in the Western world — he to finding out for themselves what place has an unparalleled opportunity for getting in the work they can fill, what service they rid of all those crowding pettinesses and can render. com-plications which from the outer life ‘Practically all find in Adyar what they

Reprinted from The Theosophist, November 1911.

February 2013 29 The Theosophist bring to it,’ as a fellow-student has well Familiarity, it is said, breeds contempt. said (Adyar Bulletin, February 1910). But if anyone who comes here feels any Here, even more than in other places, disappointment, or disillusion, he must one should think only of what one can look for the fault in himself. Human nature bring, what one can give; for one’s res- is curiously constituted; and I suppose it ponsibility is heavier here than anywhere is true that the golden haze which distance else. Any idle or mischievous thought sent lends adds a glory to an ideal in the eyes out is vitalized by the immense force that of those who have only half seen its own is in the atmosphere, and works harm out intrinsic splendour. Also it seems to be a of all proportion to the strength which the proclivity of some minds to be attracted sender put into it. So each must be careful towards ideals only so long as they remain to send out only of his best, to pour no up in the clouds — or on the mental plane. dross into the pure stream that wells up Yet to divorce our ideals from actuality, here from the hidden planes, no poison is like acquiring such a taste for melo- into the waters of life that flow hence into drama that it makes us dissatisfied with the world. real life. I once heard our President say One must be content simply to go about an almost startling thing to a group of one’s daily duties and to do one’s best; students: ‘It would harm some of you to gradually, as one does so, one will be- see the Masters as They are.’ It might be come aware that one’s attitude towards life well for all of us to search for the meaning is being sensibly modified, that one is in those words, and to recall them when looking at the world with different eyes. we feel inclined hastily to criticize our Everyone who comes will inevitably leaders and take exception to their actions and quite rightly take in his own way the and words; for we can hardly tell where help and inspiration that Adyar can give the tendency to sit in judgement on those him; for the temperament of each is who are much older than ourselves in different, and colours that which he evolution — whose greater wisdom and receives. I think, however, that one thing knowledge we cannot fail to recognize — against which all will do well to be on their may finally land us. guard is the criticizing frame of mind. I am not now thinking of those purely There is so much here to be learnt, that to intellectual processes which a keen mind possess a truly open mind is essential, and carries on, especially when its constitution constant criticism blocks the mind; for to is critical and analytical rather than syn- see things steadily and see them whole thetical. A man must evolve along his own demands patience and calm; while to line. Only let one who progresses along condemn a thing hastily because of some this intellectual path exercise great care palpable defects that it may have in its as to whom he communicates his crit- earlier stages, is to blind oneself to its icisms, difficulties, doubts, objections. His possibilities of fair and vigorous growth. problems may be but a mental gymnastic

30 Vol. 134.5 Vale Adyar to him; but if he shares them with a less of one’s weakness); and never unsettle the able mind than his own, that mind may beliefs of people to whom those beliefs be unable to cope with them, and remain are still satisfying and helpful. bewildered and shaken; or the man to There is opportunity enough and to whom he speaks may be newer than spare in the world for sharpening one’s himself to Theosophical ideas, and not wits, and exercising all that one might have the knowledge necessary to solve his designate as the fighting qualities of the riddles, and so be confused and discour- mind; but at Adyar the student must aged, and the conceptions he has acquired concentrate all his energies in the effort be clouded rather than made clearer by to live the spiritual life, and therefore he the effort to examine them from this new must earnestly strive to ‘regain the child standpoint. Or lastly, the intellectual state he has lost’ (The Voice of the Silence). arguments may glance off the intellect of Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall the hearer, and go and touch some sore not receive the kingdom of God as a little spot in the heart — some personal grief child shall in no wise enter therein. (Luke, or disappointment, to face which the 18:17) sufferer is drawing on his faith in Theosophy and in his teachers, and so Surely we come to Adyar because we make that person’s struggle harder; for in desire to enter into that kingdom! And we such moments his faith is his best ally, the are privileged guests here, living in the help sent down to him from the ego, Master’s household, in his very Presence. whereas the lower mind is prone to be One of the beautiful revelations of swayed by the personal self. It is not right Adyar has been to me to see how — as to use any gift one has to the detriment of the trivial and artificial distinctions another, to ‘offend one of these little ones’, between men that are made in the world and it can be done through such an in- fade from sight — the real and vital judicious use of superior mental strength differences are able to emerge clearly into and agility. One cannot always tell who is view. Just as in a city the long lines of weaker than oneself at any given moment; buildings shut out the landscape, and so in this matter, as in all others, one living in its streets one loses contact with should be very careful how one interferes nature, and the joy and strength and with another. Sometimes, the presenta- refreshment to be drawn from the open tion of a doubt is an appeal, perhaps countryside, so our complicated modern unconscious, for help. But in all cases, two existence, and, still more, the habit of rules one might safely observe: never lay mental preoccupation about things that doubts and difficulties before persons if are unimportant, shut out the perception you are not quite sure that the latter will we might otherwise have of true human not be hurt by them (one will never err in greatness, and dull our capabilities of ad- trying to give of one’s strength, rather than miration, veneration, trust. How slow we

February 2013 31 The Theosophist are in outgrowing these conventional no right either to envy or to wish to ignore limitations! How slow adequately to real- any kind of superiority, but should ize the greatness of the teachers from acknowledge it gladly. whom we learn! We read, for years per- Only differences of intellectual devel- haps, about the qualifications that are opment are as a rule willingly recognized needed for Discipleship and Initiation; how nowadays, presumably because the long is it not sometimes ere our attitude intellect is what is most truly and widely towards the Initiates we are privileged to admired; but in other regions — in all know shows an intelligent comprehension matters of inward development, of spirit- of the height of their attainment? ual unfolding, our false notions of equality To live for a while at Adyar, breathing too often are allowed to blind us. Many its spiritual air and being in continual are repelled rather than attracted by contact with our teachers, should be an spiritual superiority, as though to admit it incalculable aid in recovering our faculty (except in the abstract) were to menace of reverence, in getting some degree of their own personal independence. This perspective into our view of the stages of mistaken attitude may be a vestige of human evolution above our own, and of revolt against the demand for blind the elder brothers whom we see — not at submission made by orthodox Churches their own level, let us always remember, and sects; it is none the less a danger now, but near us, at our side. when the Great Ones are coming openly Brotherhood and inequality! the whole to mingle among men; for They, and their of the Theosophical teaching demonstrates disciples, compel no man to act against how well-nigh immeasurable are the his will, and the heart that shuts itself inequalities. against them can remain shut, to its own The ‘deceitfulness of appearances’ lies irretrievable loss. partly in the way that appearances veil It is sure that if we desire to be among differences. There is very much less the followers of the Supreme Teacher, if difference between the physical bodies of our hope is set on being one day accepted men than between their higher bodies, for disciples of a Master, we must learn how instance. Even the obvious differences, to follow; glib phrases, whose true between the degrees of development of meaning we do not stop to ponder, such the intelligence and moral qualities in ‘as all men are equally divine’, will not men, are not appreciated at their true signi- avail us. Different qualities have different ficance when they are attributed to divine seasons when they are best cultivated; caprice, chance, or accident of birth; but and those we most need to cultivate now Theosophy shows us how the possession are all the forms of love evoked by what of any quality is due to a long evolution- is great, beautiful, sacred, by all that is ary process and laborious effort, and a superior to ourselves. We need not idly corollary of that teaching is, that we have fancy that our love for our equals and for

32 Vol. 134.5 Vale Adyar those below us will diminish; but these the way? We should not rest content must not any longer come first; ‘ye have with holding no juster, deeper idea of the poor always with you’ but the Divine Brotherhood than that which prevails Lord of Compassion and his Lieutenants nowadays. To be truly brotherly, we must not always, and all, even the closest ties turn the light Theosophy gives us, our of personal love, must yield to his Service, possibilities of acquiring fresh knowledge, and then shall a little of his Love flow to account for the benefit of all. The through us — of that immense Love democratic ideals have their place and which is ever seeking more channels their value, and they are now paramount through which to bless the world. Such and widespread, so that even the proletariat qualities are devotion (self-dedication: de, is steeped in them. Meanwhile, another away, and vovere, to vow) and loyalty in ideal has risen upon the horizon, faint and the fullest sense of the word. far, and only those whose vision is keenest Those who guide our Society know — the true Seers — have perceived it. where they are going; most of us do not They are our proper Leaders. The see for ourselves where we should go. proletariat is not fit for leadership; those This has been true in the past. When who compose it were presumably the Madame Blavatsky came to rough-hew slaves of antiquity, who are learning now the way, how many divined the goal to use some degree of freedom. Their turn towards which she laboured? They saw will come, in the due orderly course of the immediate work — the intellectual evolution; the knowledge of karma and presentation of Theosophy with which she of reincarnation will help to dispel by broke up the hard materialistic beliefs and degrees that bitter sense of unfairness, and conventions of her day, and attracted men consequent jealousy, which the contrasts and women into the Society. Since then between the lots of men now so often the work has changed in character; her engender. Neither is the educated majority great successor has laid insistence on the ready to lead: ‘Nature leads by minorities.’ ethical side, presenting Theosophy chiefly There is no brotherliness in pretending as a life to be lived. She is not forming an that those who are obviously younger outer Society, but drawing together those than ourselves, are not younger; nor in who have in them — in germ only, maybe unwillingness or inability to see the great- — the qualities of discipleship, for dis- ness of those great souls who are among ciples are needed now, not merely good us, be they above or below or beside us outer workers. in worldly station of life and social May it not be that our Society, which position. If we respect the words of the holds up the ideal of Brotherhood to the great sages of antiquity, how much more world without telling the world how that gladly should we respect those that living ideal may be reached — has to be the sages are addressing directly to us, for our pioneer in this also? to find out and lead benefit and helping! We know the phrase

February 2013 33 The Theosophist

‘the old heroic days’; our days are heroic not; and they that use this world, as not too; more wonderful, indeed, than almost abusing it: for the fashion of this world any in history. The Masters themselves passeth away. But I would have you form the First Section of our Society; their without carefulness. (I Corinthians, 7:35) great disciples come next in rank, and it The time has come to throw away is well for us if we realize what an interval ‘carefulness’, as those can do who have stretches between that rank and the one merged their life in the current of the Great we hold. They, our teachers, do not press Life, who need ‘take no thought for their their claims, and that should make us only life’ (see Matthew, 6:25–34); to the more willing to recognize them. If we are so deluded as not to see these claims, venture neck or nothing — heaven’s ours the loss, for only to the degree to success which we succeed in emptying ourselves Found, or earth’s failure — of our own follies and conceits, can we to follow our Guides whithersoever come into real and permanent touch they lead us. We must follow, or soon we with them. It is no question of blind credul- shall be irretrievably left behind. ity, of unreasoning submission; but of Quite silently, quite automatically, the teachableness, and of steadfastness of weeding out of the ranks goes on. Those purpose in following leaders whom we who have not striven to obey the teachings, ourselves of our own free will have who have not felt drawn to the teachers, chosen to follow. slip away, unaware even, it may be, of And now more than ever do we need what they are losing. Only those who give that close touch! Now, if ever, do we need eager service, ready obedience, respectful their leadership, for the Day of the Lord love, will be privileged to follow them life is at hand, and there will be storms and after life, themselves advancing as they difficulties, blinding darkness as well as tread in the wake of their advancing blinding light. leaders; those in turn following Leaders But this I say, brethren, the time is short: even greater, and those again having it remaineth that both they that have wives Greater Ones above them. Rank above be as though they had none; and they that rank stretching away for ever; yet all parts weep, as though they wept not; and they of one great Scheme, all sharing in the that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; One Divine Life, and no link wanting in and they that buy, as though they possessed the chain. ²

We live in this world when we love it. Rabindranath Tagore

34 Vol. 134.5 Books of Interest Books of Interest

J .KRISHNAMURTI — THE MAKING OF A humanity, topics usually lacking in the WORLD TEACHER, by Nandini Patnaik, biographies of Krishnamurti. This may be Set Publications, Odisha, 2012, pp. one of the unique qualities of this handy viii+120. book that sheds light on the Wisdom As the author states in the Foreword, Religion which played a vital role in the ‘this is a modest attempt to bring to light making of the World Teacher. some major events in the life of the great The book also explains in detail the seer-teacher, J. Krishnamurti’. The book first gift of JK to this world: At the Feet of does not attempt to explain, analyse, in- the Master. The way this gift was authored terpret or suggest any meaning to the is mentioned, and there is reference to events which might distort his teachings Education as Service, the sequel of At the to the readers. Feet of the Master. Nearly a quarter of a century has The author narrates details of how the passed since JK left this world. The great young Krishnamurti was ‘discovered’ by seer who drew the attention of the world the leaders of the Theosophical Society in the last century is just a historic figure at Adyar and of the care taken by the to the new generation. So it is apt that the guardians of the two boys, JK and his book, through a dialogue between a brother Nitya. It slowly unveils how the young boy and an elder person, reveals scrawny, sickly child with a vacant look the life and teachings of JK to the present attracted the attention of intellectuals and generation. Though the method of ex- truth-seekers all over the world. We can plaining philosophical ideas in question also learn how this ‘little Messiah’ became and answer form is not new, the present romantic and fell in love with a young girl! work has done very well in this regard. It is natural for any human being to be One of the important points to be affected by feelings of love, sorrow, affec- noted is that this book gives some clear tion, etc., and JK was not an exception. idea about the Theosophical Society and The death of Nitya shattered him very Theosophy, which moulded the young much. But he came out of that gloom, a Krishnamurti. It also answers questions very important lesson for us to learn raised by the young enquirer about the from his life. The author says ‘changed’ Aura, ESP, Astral travels, etc. The author is too weak a word to describe the new has also taken pains to explain the role Krishnamurti. ‘He was metamorphosed, of Masters and the activities of the born out of his own ashes; anew, afresh! Great White Brotherhood which guides He looked at the world not with the eyes

February 2013 35 The Theosophist of someone who was trained to be the The author also cites some stories from World Teacher but with the eyes that felt the life of Krishnamurti, which will be the suffering of mankind in his own bone!’ interesting to the reader. At one place, JK The book has a lot of quotations from himself narrates a story to students. Krishnamurti’s books and talks which will This small book also contains some help the reader to have a bird’s-eye view good colour photographs of the young of his philosophy. One thought-provoking Krishnamurti with Dr Besant, C. W. quotation can be cited here: Leadbeater, and others. We can also see some photographs of JK in his old age You will not understand the Beloved until with Dr David Bohm, Dr Radha Burnier, you are able to see him in every animal, in students of the Krishnamurti Foundation every blade of grass, in every person that Schools, etc. I hope that this book will is suffering, in every individual. reach a large number of readers all over One of the important fields of JK’s the world, especially the younger gene- activities was centred around Education. rations who neither had any opportunity The book discusses his concept of to see JK nor to listen to him. A very Education, the Teacher, Student, etc., and remarkable quotation of the ‘Seer who a list of schools run by Krishnamurti walked alone’ may be cited: Foundations all over the world is given. Meditation is a fascinating subject for In Oneself lies the whole world, and if the modern world and is marketed by self- you know how to look and learn, then the styled and self-appointed guru-s who door is there and the key is in your hand. exploit the innocent and ignorant masses. Nobody on earth can give you either that A quotation cited in the book says: key for the door to open, except yourself. Meditation is the ending of thought. There are many spelling and other Meditation is the emptying of the mind of mistakes which should be corrected in a the activity of the self, and this cannot be new edition, and then the publication done by any practice, by any method, or would be vastly improved. by saying ‘Tell me what to do’. K. DINAKARAN

The unfettered clouds and region of the Heavens, Tumult and peace, the darkness and the light — Were all like workings of one mind, the features Of the same face, blossoms upon one tree . . . William Wordsworth, The Prelude

36 Vol. 134.5 Planting of a Napoleona imperialis at Convention time. This ornamental species originates in the African rainforests

37 The newly inaugurated Vocational Training Centre

38 Theosophical Work around the World Theosophical Work around the World

Adyar with Prof. C. A. Shinde, National Lecturer The Theosophical Society has hardly of the Indian Section. Mr Lindemann been able to use the portion of the grounds spoke on his special study of Astrology known as Damodar Gardens. For many and the Wisdom Tradition. Public talks years, it was occupied for the work of were held at Vijayawada, Guntur, Bhuba- the Besant Theosophical School, which neswar, Puri and Cuttack. moved to its own lands in 1976. There- after, it has been occupied by ‘The Ukraine School’, the school run by Krishnamurti The Theosophical Society in Ukraine Foundation India, which will be leaving had its annual Convention in Kiev on 17 the premises in September 2014. In the and 18 November to coincide with the meantime, the Theosophical Society is Foundation Day of the TS. All the Lodges using the grounds in a small way for and Study Centres sent their represent- Vocational Training, with a view to ex- atives and active members to the Conven- panding the activities once the Krishna- tion, and new members received their murti Foundation vacates the premises. Diplomas. Guest speakers included scien- The Vocational Training Centre was tists and public leaders. Members of the inaugurated in December 2012 during the TS from Russia also participated; it was Convention, and on 6 January 2013 a ‘an experience of practical brotherhood’. Bharata Samaj puja was performed in the new building to uplift the atmosphere Qatar and sanctify the premises. The building has Members of the Blavatsky Lodge of two classrooms equipped with modern Qatar celebrated Foundation Day on facilities where the Centre offers training 17 November 2012, in an apartment at courses to boys and girls passing out from Al Mansoura-Doha. More than twenty Olcott Memorial High School as well as persons attended the function, which com- to other underprivileged children to pre- menced with an Islamic prayer followed pare them to earn a decent livelihood. by the chanting of The Golden Stairs and the invoking of the Universal Prayer by India Bro. Dominador Escobido, President of Mr Ricardo Lindemann, National the Lodge. Bro. Sumesh Pai explained the Lecturer of the Brazilian Section, spoke significance of Foundation Day, and at the Telugu and Utkal Federations Bro. Damith Asanka read out writings on between 15 and 22 December 2012, along Universal Brotherhood. —

February 2013 39 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]. Email address [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] The Indian Theosophist Gangleri Teozófia Ilisos Adyar Le Lotus Bleu Teosofi Teozofija Selección Teosófica The Light Bearer Chilena Revista Teosófica Sophia Le Lotus Bleu The West African Theosophist The West Theosofie Adyar The Theosophical Light The South African Theosophist Theosophy in Australia Magazine Teosofía en Argentina en Teosofía Theosofi Or Rosario … ška ulica 24, 10000 Zagreb … oukourestiou St., 106 71-Athensoukourestiou St., … Helsinki Aptdo. 23, San Juan, PR 00926, USA Barrio Palermo, Bogotá CEP 70200-630 Brasilia (DF) Boisbriand QC., J7H 1K7 Managua, Nicaragua Adyar, Chennai 600 020, India Jakarta 11410, Timur UK BT52 ITA Co. Londonderry, Ronean, 38 Princesses Ave., Windsor E. 2194Windsor Ave., Ronean, 38 Princesses … eosofinen Seura, Vironkatu 7 C 2, Fin 00170,Vironkatu eosofinen Seura, … The Theosophical Society, Varanasi 221 010Varanasi Theosophical Society, The … Oberbaumgarten 25, 4204 Haibach im Mühlkreis … The Theosophical Society Address … Santiago 257 — 2000, … I N T E R A O L D C Y

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42 FORTHCOMING REPRINTS

THE MONAD — And Other Essays on the Higher Consciousness C. W. Leadbeater A collection of essays on the Monad, Consciousness, Time, Meditation and related topics. An important book for students of Theosophy.

A STUDY IN KARMA Annie Besant Knowledge about karma liberates the mind of its anxiety, fear and futile desires, and teaches that each person’s future is in his or her own hands.

DEATH — AND AFTER Annie Besant A Theosophical manual, it contains indepth discussion from the Theosophical point of view about death, when the immortal Self of man withdraws from the physical vesture.

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YOGA, THE ART OF INTEGRATION Rohit Mehta A commentary on the Yoga-Sutra-s of Patanjali with line-by-line translation and transliteration. ‘Yoga does not mean development of new habits against the old. It demands the dissolution of the very centre of habit.’

THE HIDDEN SIDE OF THINGS C. W. Leadbeater This book explores exactly what the title says — that which lies beyond our physical sight. An important book for the student of the occult.

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